1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image photographing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image photographing apparatus that unites the functions of a digital still camera and a digital camcorder.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a digital still camera (DSC) converts images incident through a lens into digital signals and stores the digital signals in a recording medium such as a hard disc or a memory card. Thus, a photographed image is not recorded in a film but stored in the recording medium. Therefore, it is possible to directly input digital images into a computer without intervention of a scanner. Because the digital still camera is highly compatible with a personal computer (PC), it is simple and convenient to perform editing and correction, and it is possible to transmit photographed images if the camera is connected with an external computer. The digital still camera includes a lens device, a memory device, a signal modulation device, a display device, etc. However, the digital still camera is mainly used to photograph still images in light of the capacity of the recording medium. That is, the digital still camera is capable of photographing some images. However, it is substantially impossible to photograph for a long period of time by using the digital still camera. In particular, the digital still camera is practically improper to photograph, store and reproduce moving images because there is no way to record and reproduce sounds at the time of photographing and reproducing moving images. In order to compensate such a defect, recording/reproducing apparatuses to record into or reproduce from a recording medium such as camcorders have been widely spread.
The camcorders include a lens device, a signal conversion device, a deck device to record/reproduce photographed images, and a display device. The camcorders mainly use a cassette tape as a recording medium, and the cassette tape is mounted in the deck device to record the photographed images. In addition, the camcorders may be provided with a microphone device and a speaking device and are capable of photographing for one or more hours once the cassette tape is loaded. These types of camcorders have a function to photograph still images. However, because image quality is poorer than that of the digital still camera as described above, the camcorders are mainly used in photographing moving images. Furthermore, because the camcorders generally have many functions and have a complicated construction as compared to digital still cameras, the camcorders are relatively bulky and expensive.
In order to utilize all of the functions of the digital still camera and the camcorder as described above, both products are typically purchased. This may impose a heavy economic burden on consumers. Furthermore, it is also troublesome to the consumer to carry both products because they have individual characteristic functions, which may impose a physical burden.